Inspiration, sadness, courage and motivation are tightly woven into this tiny, little book, After the last PR The Virtues of Living a Runner’s Life by Dave Griffen.
The book includes lots of vignettes of occurrences that happened to Mr. Griffen as a result of running. The book is complemented with a host of self-reflections, which the reader can relate to, whether or not he/she is a runner.
There were so many beautiful words in this 123-page book. It took me a while to read it because there are lots of different stories within one book. The commonality was running but it was much more. Mr. Griffen reflects on his life and tries to provide the reader with motivating thoughts.
You learn that running is not a sport or a recreational habit. It is a lifestyle. To run is to be able to defeat the elements of the outdoors and take yourself to a higher level and release all the tension that goes through your mind on a daily basis.
Here are some of the reasons why Mr. Griffen loves running:
- Provides strength when you feel week
- It helps form clarity and peace within yourself
- Although things may get hard, the finish line is just around the corner
- There are no excuses, including weather
- Brings on self confidence
- It provides stability in a changing world
- It enables you to find the treasures within yourself
I’m a new runner and I felt that this book really touched me. It made me feel emotional when reading about some of Dave Griffen’s friends and family, but it also motivated me to keep going.
Running is hard, especially when you first start out. Your legs are burning. Your shins hurt. It’s cold outside and you’re not dressed appropriately. You have to force yourself to go outdoors and do it. But yet, once you run, you’re a member of an exclusive club. A club that enables you to get to know yourself more so than you ever thought possible.
Two of my favorite quotes in the book were:
- “To truly find out what you can accomplish, you’ve got to push yourself to unknown territory,”
- “A destination marks a moment in time, a brief conclusion, but the journey is life itself.”
In short, After the Last PR is an inspirational read that I highly recommend for anyone regardless or whether or not you run.
Related articles
- Book Review: After the Last PR: The Virtues of Living a Runner’s Life by Dave Griffen (blogcritics.org)
- Book Review: After the Last PR: The Virtues of Living a Runner’s Life by Dave Griffen (seattlepi.com)
